Geneaology is a favorite topic on this blog, and I know many of you are diligent family historians who spend hours searching through birth certs, census information, ships’ passenger lists, and historical forms of every description.

However, the greatest challenge for would-be genealogists is truly capturing a sense of their ancestors’ lives from these factual forms.

Today I’m delighted to introduce you to an Irish company who offer a range of services to help families present research in a readable, informative and engaging way.

David Lawlor and John Regan are two Irish entrepreneurs who help bring context to lives once lived. Both are passionate about history. David is a journalist and writer, and John is a designer. Together they have created a new company called Histories in the Making.

Here’s what they say on their website:

“Whether it’s a family poster,

a commemorative brochure

or an interactive webpage

to remember your ancestor,

Histories In The Making are here

to give you and future generations

a present of your past.”

And so today, I am going to hand you over to David who will share the story of his company and the inspiration for his genealogy work ….

David’s Family History:

There are two routes I used to take to my office when I left the train station to go to work. They both passed a large 18th century building of Palladian, neoclassical design, which I used to admire as a child, long before I knew of its connection to my own family.

David Lawlor

Now, as I pass it by, I study its pillars and façade for signs of bullet holes and shrapnel scars, and I imagine the men who died there.

I can almost hear the crack of gunfire, the screams of anger, pain, defiance, and the sight of red-gold flames flashing beneath billowing black-grey smoke.

My nostrils twitch at the imagined smell of cordite, and I wonder what my grandfather Michael’s role was when, aged just 20, he and scores of other IRA men in the Dublin Brigade attacked the Custom House in May 1921, on what would turn out to be the most disastrous raid in IRA history.

At lunchtime on May 25, small groups of IRA men had gathered in the area surrounding the Customs House – a symbol of British rule in Ireland. There were about 120 IRA men in total, many of them inexperienced fighters.

Michael Lawlor

Although that could not be said of my own grandfather Michael. By that stage of the War of Independence he was something of a veteran, having joined up in 1919. Michael was a member of the Active Service Unit (ASU) of the Dublin Brigade.

That day, the ASU had been issued with revolvers (six rounds per man) and hand grenades. Their job was to position themselves beneath the Butt Bridge railway line, running beside the Customs House, and act as a protective force in the event of British troops arriving on the scene. The rest of the men were to enter the building and set it on fire using tins of petrol.

At one o’clock, the attack began. The first casualty was an elderly caretaker who was gunned down as he tried to telephone for help. IRA men herded civilians together and set about torching the rooms.

Auxiliaries and several hundred British troops soon arrived to surround the building, and a heavy firefight ensued. Michael’s unit managed to hold them off for about half an hour, but with just six bullets each against machine-guns, the result was inevitable.

The British forces suffered four wounded. Aside from the seven people killed, the greatest loss was in the capture of 80 volunteers at the scene. Michael was lucky to get out of there in one piece.

The same could not be said of the Customs House. It was gutted, with documents stretching back hundreds of years destroyed in the conflagration. In time, it was restored, and carries its scars to this day.

The attack was a stunt that the hard-pressed IRA, struggling in terms of manpower and resources, could ill afford. The operation was an unnecessary disaster – the truce would come less than two weeks later, bringing an official end to fighting.

Now, as I walk beneath Butt Bridge – the same bridge where grandad fought – the hairs on my arms and neck bristle. Where, precisely, had he stood? Did he shoot anyone … injure anyone with a well-lobbed grenade?

I think of him … think of his youth and his bravery, and then wonder how I would have fared standing in his shoes.

Family History Research:

The ghosts of that day still linger, their barely-heard echo masked amongst the sounds of rush-hour traffic and smothered by our own rush-hour lives.

It was partly in answer to their ghostly echo that I decided to put together a small history of Michael’s involvement in Ireland’s War of Independence, using information from his army pension form and from the census, as well as ill-remembered family stories to paint a picture of his life in those turbulent times.

It is the way of most families, that there is one member who will gather together some of the ancestral history in the hope of passing it on to future generations.

The problem with most of these documents is that they can be quite uninspiring. Usually only the person who has gone in search of them is actually interested in wading through their dense prose.

It was for this very reason that I decided to knit all the knowledge on my grandfather Michael together and to present it in more readable and accessible format for the rest of the family.

The result was an illustrated 12-page brochure and digital file which put all the information we had on Michael in its historical context, fleshed out and made more real and relevant for those reading it. Now we all have his story – or some of it at least – to read and pass on to our own children.

Histories In The Making:

The call of the past is ever present – its scars waiting to be read on buildings like those shrapnel-scarred, bullet-pocked walls that I walked by every day.

I’ve given up the day job, because I want to tell more stories like that of my grandfather. That’s why I set up Histories In The Making.

I want to put these scraps of information together for other families so that they, too, can have a readable, accessible record of their loved ones’ lives.

We should all seek out those clues to our ancestors before they are lost forever. Talk to elderly relatives, dig out those dusty documents, pick up the scattered pieces of information and then, maybe, give them to me and together let us create a present of the past for your family’s future generations.

Thank You To David And John:

A big thank you to David for sharing his family story with us today, and for introducing the amazing work he and John provide to bring family histories to life.

You can check out David and John’s work on their website Histories In the Making, where they share samples of interactive maps, family information booklets, and online family history presentations.

Genealogy websites that help people trace their family histories love to focus on fortunate souls descended from royalty, or related in some distant and indirect way to George Washington. Yet genealogical research is just as likely to turn up horse thieves, drifters and scandals of every sort.

“You’re going to find stuff you don’t want to know,” says Ceil Lucas, a sociolinguist, amateur genealogist and author of How I Got Here: A Memoir.

When I read this line introducing Ceil’s new book I just knew I had to share her work with you here on my blog. I am putting the finishing touches on my historical fiction novel whose main character is impoverished by the Irish Famine, and does not fill the typical role of a historical fiction heroine.

I believe we need to share the stories of ordinary men and women of the past, not simply the illustrious stories of those who held power in centuries past.

And so, I asked Ceil to share her story with us. I’m delighted to publish her guest post, and we have a giveaway for a copy of one of Ceil’s books too.

Let me hand you over to Ceil and then I’ll share how you can enter the giveaway.

Ceil Lucas’ American Evolution:

As I read through Mairéad’s story, I see very strong parallels with my own.

The nutshell summary: I was born in Phoenix in 1951; in 1956, my father the civil engineer accepted a job in Guatemala City. In 1960, he was hired by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations located in Rome, Italy. I came to the US for college in 1969. I returned to Rome for the 1971-1972 academic year.

While I have travelled extensively, I have lived permanently in the US since August of 1972. Ages 5 to 21: four years in Guatemala City and twelve in Rome, with two nine-month stints for freshman and sophomore year at Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington.

“ I didn’t grow up here”, I almost always say when meeting someone for the first time. “I wasn’t raised here,” – “here” meaning America, the United States, the States. In my mind, it is crucial for someone meeting me for the first time to know this – whatever “here” is about, I have always felt that I am not nor never will be totally of it.

I have learned it by brief visits across my childhood and from living here since 1972. Among other things, it attests to the sheer power of “here” in 20th century life, what “America” means and has meant.

So, while Irish-born Mairéad grew up in Ireland – which I know fairly well, since I have been studying spoken Irish since 1993 and have traveled there a number of times; at least five trips have involved week-long stays at the Irish immersion school in Glenn Cholm Cille in Donegal, so ironically, my accent in Irish is American mixed with distinct Donegal features – I was American-born growing up in Guatemala and Italy, and, so I thought, not from “here”.

I began planning a memoir based on my childhood memoirs but at the same time, I began working on my family’s history and my genealogy. Despite living abroad for seventeen years during my father’s working life, both of my parents were born-and-raised Americans, my father from New Mexico and my mother from Illinois. They didn’t leave the country to live abroad until they were forty-seven. My mother had left a fairly good record for both her side and my father’s but nothing that went past about 1810. So I got busy.

I got comfortable with the National Archives in Washington, DC, learning how to search all kinds of records, arriving at 9 a.m. and leaving at closing time on many days.

I also learned to use the records in Annapolis, Maryland and at various state history societies, invariably staffed by passionate and interesting people, unfailingly helpful.

One search got me to Daniel De Lucas in Kent, England in 1500. This got me to wondering if the De was French or Spanish, so I got my DNA profile done. “4% Iberian peninsula” said the test, shedding some light on that part. The test also stated 10% Irish and this is a part that needs more digging. But 76% is English and Scots.

My mother’s first ancestor was John Kininmont, one of Oliver Cromwell’s Scottish prisoners transported to Maryland’s Eastern Shore in 1654; my father’s first ancestor was Robert Lucas, a Quaker who sailed from Weymouth, England to Philadelphia in 1679.

My mother’s people made their way to Illinois via North Carolina and Indiana; my father’s side went to Ohio and Indiana before participating in the 1893 Oklahoma Land Rush and ending up in the Territory of New Mexico, not yet a state.

So while I myself was not raised here and have frequently felt that I came to the United States in 1969 for college as an immigrant, like Mairéad, it’s a fact that when your folks arrive in 1654 and 1679, more than one hundred years before there was an America to talk about, you are “from here”.

And it was doing my genealogy and researching my family history that got me to that. Genealogy and family history have of course re-shaped the way I think about myself. The stories of my ancestors are necessarily included in my memoir since they are who I am.

Author Bio – Ceil Lucas:

Ceil Lucas is professor emerita, retired from Gallaudet University in Washington, DC, where she taught linguistics through American Sign Language, 1982- 2013. Ceil holds a bachelor’s degree in French and Art History, a master’s degree in French and Italian, and a doctorate in Linguistics.

She spent 40 years as a university professor and researcher. She began teaching Italian in 1973 and continues to do so. She is the editor and co-author of 22 books.

Genealogical Research Tips From Ceil:

Ceil has some excellent suggestions for others who wish to delve into their family histories:

Talk to relatives. “The best place to start is with what you already know” Lucas says. You’re probably aware of at least some of your family’s history, especially as it pertains to your mother and father. An excellent way to begin adding to that is to speak to your parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles who can fill in some of the blanks.

Check census records. Every 10 years since 1790 the census has taken a snapshot of who’s living in the United States. Valuable information can be found in census records, and you might even discover relatives you never heard about.

Sign up for a genealogy class. Many community colleges offer non-credit courses in genealogy that will help you understand how to research your family and interpret what you find.

DNA testing. People often think they know their ethnic lineage,but discover surprises when they have a DNA test. Lucas’ DNA test revealed that she is descended not only from people who hailed from England and Scotland, but also the Iberian Peninsula.

“It also probably doesn’t hurt if you are a nerd about these things like me,” Lucas says. “I found an ancestor who was involved in the Oklahoma Land Rush, so I researched that and found newspaper articles about the land rush. I think it’s important to put your family story in the historical context, especially if you plan to write a memoir. That stuff is just really interesting to me.”

The Giveaway:

Ceil has graciously provided a copy of her memoir, How I Got Here, for one reader to win.

To enter just leave a comment on this blog post by noon on Saturday, November 5th, 2016.

Any comment will do. What you write does not affect your chance of winning, but if you need inspiration why not tell us if you are interested in your family history or if you have made any genealogical discoveries of princes, paupers or horse thieves in your family tree.

A winning comment will be chosen randomly. Remember to leave your e-mail so that I can contact you should you win. Your e-mail won’t be published, just used to contact our lucky contestant for mailing of the prize.

The winner will be announced on Saturday, November 5th, 2016, at the bottom of this blog post.

You may check out Irish American Mom’s complete terms and conditions for sweepstakes’ entries by clicking here.

Thanks to everyone who supports this giveaway by leaving a comment.

And thank you to Ceil Lucas for sharing her story with us today. I really enjoyed her take on what it means to be “from here.” Wishing her many years to come of rewarding research and writing. And best of luck with her studies of the Irish language.

Update – Winner Chosen:

Good news. Our winner has been chosen using the randomized “Pick Giveaway Winner” WordPress plug-in.

Congratulations to …..

Margaret Mutter

I’ll send our winners a quick e-mail to let them know about their Irish luck.

Thanks to everyone who joined in and entered this little giveaway. Wishing Ceil every success with her wonderful work.

Sifting through family history resources and genealogy websites can be a daunting task if you are one of the many Americans eager to trace your roots.

Notice: Crestleaf is no longer in existence.

However, if you are one of the 33.3 million Americans of Irish ancestry help is close at hand. The good folks at Crestleaf have compiled a list of 70 Irish ancestry resources to help you on your journey of family discovery and ancestral reconnection.

Requests for Genealogy Resources:

Over the past 3 years I have received many e-mails from readers asking me for a list of genealogy resources to help them with their ancestral searches. I must confess, I was a little overwhelmed at the thought of compiling this list.

Oh boy, did I do a happy dance once I discovered the work was already completed. Crestleaf, a genealogy resource company that helps people create, chronicle, and connect their family history, compiled an in-depth list of Irish genealogical research resources.

I book marked their page immediately, and with their permission I’m delighted to share it with you today. There’s no point in recreating the wheel when the Irish genealogy wheel has already been created by Crestleaf.

And so today, I am thrilled to introduce you to Crestleaf and their extensive genealogical resources…

Crestleaf – Capture Your Family’s Story:

With over 90 million family records in the United States alone, Crestleaf is an online collaboration tool for families to document their family history.

They are also a leading provider of free genealogy information, including a list of over 70 Irish genealogy resources.

Crestleaf feels there is a story trapped behind every family photo. Their family tree builder and timeline helps you remember these stories and digitally preserve special moments in chronological order that you never wish to forget.

Engage with family members by creating a timeline of key family moments, historical events and upload family photos to bring your family narrative to life. You can even invite family members to collaborate on your family tree no matter where they are in the world.

Since historic records and stories are widely dispersed amongst relatives, ease of collaboration on your family tree is a must!

Crestleaf allows casual genealogists to store all of the history they’ve gathered without being forced to pay a monthly subscription — so you’ll always have access to your digitally-preserved family memories.

Believe it or not, Crestleaf allows you to store up to 1 GB of photographs free of charge.

Check them out and start building your Crestleaf Family Tree for free!

Growing Up In An Irish Family:

Crestleaf has also provided some fun, Irish-related genealogy content on their blog:

I love this infographic dedicated to those of us who grew up in an Irish family. Our Irish heritage and crazy ways run far deeper than simply celebrating St. Patrick’s Day once a year.

We love potatoes and tea and a drop of beer every now and then, but we’re always proud of our Irish roots.

Image Credit: 17 Ways You Know You Grew Up In An Irish Family

10 Facts About Irish Americans:

I really enjoy the Crestleaf blog, and the creativity they bring to all of their posts and graphics. Check out this link for another wonderful infographic by Crestleaf, with some interesting facts about Irish-Americans.

10 Interesting Facts About Irish-Americans You Might Not Know

And Crestleaf is not only about Irish genealogy.

No matter what genealogical ingredients went in to your melting pot, Crestleaf has resources to help you on your journey of discovery.

Thank You To Crestleaf:

I truly hope that through these resources you’ll discover a treasury of knowledge, fill in the gaps in your family history, discover new branches of your family tree, or unearth deep and meaningful roots that connect you to your past.

And I wish to extend my gratitude to the folks at Crestleaf for their diligent work, and research into Irish surnames, genealogy libraries, and immigration records. Thank you for allowing me to share your resources here on my blog.

Wishing all of my readers every success as you search for long lost ancestors from days gone by.